LOS ANGELES – The Player’s Association is fighting on Qyntel Woods’ behalf regarding his Blazers’ termination last January, The Post has learned.

According to Player’s Association attorney Ron Klempner, Woods is scheduled to have a hearing next month. Portland terminated his contract after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of animal abuse.

Portland police were trying to link the new Knicks forward to an illegal dog-fighting ring after finding one of his pitbulls bloodied in an alley.

The Blazers did not pay Woods’ salary for the season’s final four months after termination.

“We’re very confident we’re going to prevail,” Klempner said. “They had no right to take the action they did.”

There is precedent, as an arbitrator overturned the Warriors’ attempt to terminate Latrell Sprewell’s contract after Sprewell choked his coach, P.J. Carlesimo, in 1998.

Woods is making the league minimum for players with four-years of service. Prorated, he will earn $590,000 if he makes it past the Jan. 10 date when all contracts become guaranteed. Woods is not expected to be activated on this Western trip.

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After the grieving Quentin Richardson was placed on the inactive list following the shooting death of his brother, coach Larry Brown finally turned to Penny Hardaway in his second audition as backup point guard. In Hardaway’s first action since Nov. 11, he played 27 minutes and didn’t commit a turnover. Hardaway played just one game prior – in Golden State. “It was too early to panic,” said Hardaway, whose expiring contract becomes enticing in February. “It’s too long a season.” Brown believes the Knicks need a backup PG, but Hardaway may have eased concerns for now. … Eddy Curry’s miserable foul shooting continued in Seattle when he went 2-of-7. He missed a pair with 4:10 left and the Knicks up one, but Jamal Crawford bailed his buddy out. Curry is shooting 59 percent from the free-throw line (45-of-76).